San Francisco has launched an autonomous shuttle service less than a week after regulators approved the expansion of robotaxis despite traffic and safety concerns. The free shuttle will run daily in a fixed route called the Loop around Treasure Island, the site of a former U.S. Navy base in the middle of San Francisco Bay. The all-electric vehicle, which doesn’t have a driver’s seat or steering wheel, is staffed with an attendant who can drive the bus with a handheld controller if necessary. San Francisco is one of a growing number of cities worldwide that are testing the safety and potential of self-driving technology to transform public transportation.
